Paralegals & Legal Secretaries

How I Landed My First Paralegal Job

By Lynne DeVenny

I decided to enter the legal profession nearly a year ago. I was in my car listening to the radio, and an advertisement came on for a paralegal program at the University of Miami that offers an intensive certificate course in four short months. After discussing it with my husband, I decided to go for it and began attending classes earlier this year.

At the time I started in the program, I had worked as a shipping coordinator for three years but before that had held administrative assistant and secretarial positions for fifteen years. My prior work experience gave me a solid foundation for dealing with the public, and being able to communicate well, write effectively, and follow through in a timely manner. I believe these qualities transfer to the legal field, as to any field.

By the time I graduated in early June 2009, I felt confident and fully prepared to get out there and impress would-be employers with my newly acquired knowledge and skills. I was determined not to let my lack of law firm experience deter me from getting a paralegal job from the get-go, and I used the following tips that proved effective.

The first thing to do is to ensure you have a great looking--and sounding--resume. I highly recommend The Resume Handbook, 5th Edition by Arthur D. Rosenberg. This book has many examples of the right (and wrong) ways to write a winning resume and cover letter. There is even a section on writing a paralegal resume and cover letter.

Second, dress for the part. Even if the firm appears to be casual, keep in mind the importance of first impressions--take control of how you will be perceived. I wore a beige pantsuit to interviews, and paired it with either a ribbed bright green shirt or a black cami. I definitely stood out as a legal professional during the interview, because I looked like I was dressed for court-related activities. I completed my outfit with a new pair of thick-heeled Mary Jane shoes, a black leather purse, and I carried a black leather pad-folio and silver pen with me, along with my portfolio, which I keep in a legal size file.

Third, don?t be afraid to be assertive during the interview. You don?t want to seem abrasive or sound harsh, but you do want to show a can-do attitude. When I interviewed at the firm that hired me, I noticed they were understaffed at that moment, so I asked if they wanted me to stay and answer the phones for a while. My initiative and gumption impressed the attorneys.

And speaking of impressing attorneys, if you have a portfolio, bring it with you on interviews. If you do not have one and have never worked in the legal profession before, I recommend sharing a few writing samples from your paralegal classes. An excellent paralegal must also be an excellent writer.

Some of the documents that I include in my portfolio are sample Notices of Hearing, Motions, Request for Admissions, Request for Production, Interrogatories, Deposition Summaries, and a trial brief. The brief was the final project for my paralegal course. It showed that I have strong legal-writing skills and understand how to cite and apply the law, although in the working world, a paralegal that drafts all or parts of briefs does so under the supervision of an attorney.

When asked whether you have questions, don?t mumble nervously. Go to your interview with a prepared agenda. Ask questions that you want answered, such as what areas the firm specializes in, how many cases are handled in a given week or month, and how often are the attorneys in court. As a last question, you can simply smile and ask, ?When can I start?? Confidence, in any aspect of life, is always key.
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I met Ana (@bookfairy8) on Twitter, while she was tweeting about her job-hunt. I knew she had a great resume from the number of interviews she was getting. When I found out that she landed her first paralegal job within a few short weeks of graduation, I asked her to share her successful job search tips with Practical Paralegalism readers.

Full post as published by Practical Paralegalism on July 01, 2009 (boomark / email).